The Ten Commandments – Part 4

Posted: April 17, 2009

I think this might be the final point or qualifier before I actually delve into the Commandments themselves. The final point to keep in mind when applying the Ten Commandments to all of the problems in the world, is that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament.

4. Jesus is the God of the Old Testament

Moses is visited by Jehovah, or Jesus Christ, who is the God of the Old Testament, in preparation to receive his calling as a prophet.

Why is this important? We must first remember that life is all about progression. Think, if you will, of an individual with a job. We see that they either do well and strive to improve their employment and skills, or they remain the same and stagnate. Now, just from what you have read about the individual, which do you feel is most important for that individual to do, progress or stagnate? I would be so bold as to wager that well nigh unto everybody will agree (while understanding the modern and Western concepts of jobs) that to progress is the good thing, and to stagnate is a bad thing. One can apply this to a role as spouse, parent, student, or what have you. In any role in life, we inherently seek to improve ourselves.

We inherently (and I use inherently and not naturally to distinguish between the natural/carnal desires and those inherited from our Heavenly parent) seek to improve our situations, our demeanors, our outlook, and well, everything. One problem arrises when we have a false notion of what improvement is and an appropriate way to achieve improvement.

Anyhow, we must recognize that Jesus is the one who gave the Ten Commandments to Moses in the first place. It was Him, known at the time as Jehovah, who gave the Commandments to the people of Israel, that they might know how and for whom to look for for salvation.

A BYU and a Ricks College professor discuss the doctrine of Jesus Christ of the New Testament being the God of the Old Testament, His role as a Father, and our relationship to Him.

Keith L. Sellers, visiting professor of ancient scripture, Brigham Young University, and Victor G. Forsnes, professor of engineering, Ricks College. To better understand the Lord’s words in Isaiah 44 and 45, we must first identify who is speaking. The passage indicates that it is “the king of Israel,” the “Lord of Hosts” (Isa. 44:6)—“a just God and a Saviour” (Isa. 45:21). This is the God of the Old Testament, the Great I Am—Jehovah.

Through Latter-day scripture, we know that Jehovah was the premortal name for Jesus Christ. “Behold,” Jesus told the Nephites, “I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel.” (3 Ne. 15:5; see also D&C 38:1–4.)

Jehovah, or Jesus Christ, is known by many other names. One of these is the Son, meaning the Son of God the Father. (See 1 Ne. 11:18–21.) In 1916, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve explained that “Jesus Christ is the Son of Elohim both as spiritual and bodily offspring; that is to say, Elohim is literally the Father of the spirit of Jesus Christ and also of the body in which Jesus Christ performed His mission in the flesh.”

They went on to declare that because of this unique relationship with God the Father, “Jesus the Son has represented and yet represents Elohim His Father in power and authority. This is true of Christ in His preexistent, antemortal, or unembodied state, in the which He was known as Jehovah,” as well as in mortality and today in his resurrected state. “The Father placed His name upon the Son,” the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve continued, “and Jesus Christ spoke and ministered in and through the Father’s name; and so far as power, authority and Godship are concerned His words and acts were and are those of the Father.” (In James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965–75), 5:27, 31–32.)

Invested with this kind of authority, Jehovah can rightly speak to Israel as though he were the Father in matters involving their learning, understanding, and salvation. He was thus invested with the power of the Father in creating the earth and in his role as the Messiah—the Christ, the Anointed One—in performing the infinite and eternal atonement. He embodies the fulness of the Father’s power, and in his role as the Mediator speaks and acts for the Father.

Jehovah also speaks properly and authoritatively as the Father in his role as (1) the Creator—the Father of the heavens and the earth—and (2) the Father of all who accept the gospel covenant and take upon themselves his name, whereby they are “born again” as his sons and daughters and adopted into his family. (See Messages of the First Presidency, 5:26–34.)

Keeping in mind, then, that though the Father and the Son are separate beings, the Son, by divine investiture of authority, can speak as though he were God the Father—and, in fact, in certain of his roles is a Father…

Again, when we realize that Jesus Christ is the one who presented the Ten Commandments to Moses, we realize that these laws will and can put us on the path to accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and put us on the path to eternal life. In fact, following these laws puts us on a path to solve all of our problems, even all of the problems in the world. And they are part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.